Phlox plant named ‘Wespofu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Wespofu’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; red purple and white bi-colored fringed flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION: PHOLOX HYBRIDA.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wespofu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wespofu’.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely branching Phlox cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004, in Südlohn, Germany, of a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P022, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wespofu has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wespofu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wespofu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.     -   4. Red purple and white bi-colored fringed flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have lighter green-colored leaves         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are fringed whereas         flowers of plants of the female parent selection are not         fringed.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have lilac pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more vigorous than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have blue         and white bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar USPHL304, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,899. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar USPHL304 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact and more freely         branching than plants of the cultivar USPHL304.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar USPHL304.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox were fringed whereas         flowers of plants of the cultivar USPHL304 were not fringed.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL304 differed in         flower color as plants of the USPHL304 had lavender-colored         flowers with a white and purple-colored star pattern at the         center.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar USPHL03, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,846. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar USPHL03 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact and had shorter         internodes than plants of the cultivar USPHL03.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar USPHL03.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox were fringed whereas         flowers of plants of the cultivar USPHL03 were not fringed.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL03 differed in         flower color as plants of the USPHL03 had dark purple-colored         flowers with a red-colored star pattern at the center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wespofu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 20 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox hybrida cultivar Wespofu. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P002, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P022, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, close to 158A.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit;             outwardly spreading; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching             habit with lateral branches developing at every node;             pinching enhances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 22 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 33 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12.7 cm. Diameter: About             2.8 mm. Internode length: About 1.65 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 146A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 146A to 146B; venation, 146A to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: 137C; venation, 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single fringed salverform flowers             arranged in terminal cymes; flowers face upward to outward.             Freely flowering habit with about six flowers per cyme.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period;             continuously flowering from April to autumn in Germany.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.7 mm.             Shape: Oblong Color: 196D; towards apex, N81A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.5 cm. Lobe width: About 1.1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Irregularly fringed.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing and fully expanded petal lobes, upper surface:             Mixture of 71A and N74A; towards the margin, close to 155D.             Developing and fully expanded petal lobes, lower surface:             76D; color becoming closer to 85D with development. Eye:             N88B; spots, 79A. Throat: 149D; fine lines, 71A. Tube: 1D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at base; tubular in shape. Length: About             1.1 cm. Width: About 1.1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9 mm to 17 mm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther width: About             0.7 mm. Anther color: 13A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 17A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 4.3 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma             color: N144A to N144B. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style             color: 144B. Ovary color: 144B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: Typically three. Length: About             2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: N200A to N200B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Wespofu’ as illustrated and described. 